Cruz Roja
The second of Cruz Roja’s new series of informative monthly meetings will be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2 p.m. at the Lake Chapala Society gazebo.
In this new format, each month will see a demonstration of first-aid techniques, a medical briefing, or other health-related short program.
Next Wednesday’s meeting will feature Dr. Sam Thelin, the medical director at Cruz Roja Chapala. He will give an overview of the emergency service options available to Lakesiders and the role of insurance, payment policies, public vs. private medicine, etc.
Regardless of how the emergency response system worked in your “home” country, it is probably very different here. Dr. Thelin will give us the basic information we need to develop our own individualized plan on how to get from incident site to treatment.
Immigration talk
Alvaro Becerra of Becerra Immigration Services will talk about immigration matters on Friday, March 15, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Lake Chapala Society on the Neill James patio. This talk will surely help those of you still confused by recent immigration reforms (and who isn’t?). Everyone is welcome.
Lucky dogs
For those who aren’t aware, there is a new dog shelter at Lakeside, formed when the Animal Shelter in Riberas del Pilar was forced to close in June of last year.
Situated on the road from Chapala’s Cristiania Park to Mezcala, just before Santa Cruz, it is a perfect rural location for the dogs to exercise, become healthy, nourished, and socialize. The space also helps prepare them to be members of lucky families.
Lucky Dog has an outstanding crew of old and new volunteers but always needs more. Adoptions have been brisk but there are many great dogs and pups that are still hoping to get lucky.
You can check out the shelter and the dogs at an Open House on Sunday, March 24, from 1-3 p.m. Everyone is invited.
Aside from touring the new shelter and meeting the canine stars, expect fun doggie items for sale, a 50/50 raffle and, of course, hot dogs.
Lucky Dog opened for business in December 2012 and has been housing an average of 20 dogs and puppies of all sizes and descriptions. Each dog or puppy receives stellar veterinary care from the Ladron de Guevara brothers and has been vaccinated, wormed, and de-flead. Dogs over six months of age have been sterilized, and adopters of pups under six months are given a certificate for a half-price spay or neuter. All adopters receive a free veterinary consultation within one week of adoption.
Summer hours beginning March 1 are Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The phone number is 331-300-7144 and will be answered if all the volunteers aren’t busy with the pooches.
For Anita’s Animals
Volunteers for Anita’s Animals will hold a spaghetti dinner fund-raiser at Salvador’s Restaurant, Saturday, March 23, 5-8 p.m. The dinner includes one beverage (wine, beer or soft drink), salad, choice of spaghetti with Marinara or Bolognese sauce or Chicken Alfredo, and dessert.
There will be live music by guitarist Alfonso Nava and “good time” music by Bill Vincent and Jay Kellum.
Tickets are 225 pesos and are being sold at Salvador’s, Anita’s booth at the Wednesday tianguis, Diane Pearl Colecciones and Mia’s Boutique.
Come have fun, enjoy good food, music and help the cats and dogs.
Seminar
The Tuesday, March 12, noon seminar in the Lake Chapala Society Sala, available for members, will be chaired by Bill Frayer.
This TED Talk podcast features bio-medical researcher Mina Bissell with the title “Experiments That Point To A New Understanding Of Cancer.”
For decades, researcher Bissell, the former head of life sciences at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, pursued a revolutionary idea – that a cancer cell doesn’t automatically become a tumor, but rather, depends on surrounding cells (its microenvironment) for cues on how to develop. She shares the two key experiments that proved the prevailing wisdom about cancer growth was wrong.
Flores fundraiser
The fund-raiser for Friends of Sylvia Flores on Sunday, March 3 was a big success with 100 people attending. Flores, who has been at the forefront of women’s health issues and family planning for many years, gave a short talk about how many women she helps, and she thanked all for assisting her.
Many people were generous and gave more than the requested amount. Some donated funds and didn’t even come to the event. People seem to like the idea that poor women can get help with cancer detection and birth control through Flores’ help.
The event netted about 21,400 pesos.
A big thank you goes to the organizing committee, including Dick and Eleanor Stromberg, Donna and Fred Farrell and Alan Bensman. The event will be repeated next year.
HU Song
Everyone is invited to participate in a HU Song held on the third Saturday of every month from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by a fellowship time.
The HU Song is a contemplative spiritual exercise. It is held at the Spiritual Center on Nicolas Bravo 17B in Ajijic. People of all faiths are welcome.
The March HU Song is scheduled for Saturday, March 16.
The door is monitored and closed at 10:30 a.m., so be sure to arrive no later than 10:20 a.m.
Contact Penny White at 766-1230 for further information. The event is hosted by Eckankar Mexico.
Seder
Chavurah Chapala is having its Passover Seder on Monday, March 25, 6 p.m. at Number 4 Restaurant. The charge is 350 pesos per person with all the traditional specialties, including kosher wine, matzo, gefilte fish, chicken soup with matzo balls, a choice of brisket or a half Cornish Game Hen or fish, tsimmes and a yummy Passover cake for desert.
To make reservations and payment contact Carol Mardell at 766-4028 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or Graciela Estrada at 765-4808 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Chavura Chapala is a Jewish group formerly associated with the Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation.
Center for Spiritual Living
Cynthia El Ishira continues her WATSU (floating warm water massage) from 3-6 p.m. on Wednesdays. The “Season for Nonviolence” class is on Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Maureen Jones presents “Peace - if not now, when?” on Friday, March 15.
Following this service, St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated with a potato bar and potato decorating contest. Email Andrea, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., to sign up for your dish.
The center is located at Nicolas Bravo 17. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 766-0920.
St. Andrew’s Anglican
What if the older brother had been in charge when the Prodigal Son returned home? That’s what the sermon on Sunday, March 10, at St. Andrew’s,“The Older Brother’s Welcome,” imagines. That imaginary scenario then becomes the launching pad for a consideration of how people of faith welcome those who enter the doors of the Church.
Wednesday, March 13, the Company of Gentlemen welcome all men (gentlemen or not) to enjoy breakfast together at 8:30 a.m. in the church kitchen. Call the office at 765-3926 in advance to guarantee the preparation of enough food. Also on Wednesday, the fourth of the six-part Lenten Bible study of “The Hard Sayings of Jesus” begins at 11 a.m. Bring a Bible and a seeking spirit, and perhaps we’ll all understand a little better.
St.Andrew’s is located at Calle San Lucas 19, a block south of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar. Worship on Sundays is at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., with a time of refreshment, welcome and fellowship between the services.
Presbyterians
This week, Sunday, March 10, Lakeside Presbyterian Church will welcome a guest preacher, Marvin Golden. The congregation is also having their Second Sunday lunch – so it’s a good week for new people to check out the church and get a free lunch after the service. The Bible Study class will begin a new book, Galatians, at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 15.
Easter comes early this year, so Lakeside Presbyterian is starting to plan Holy Week celebrations now, including the Easter Sunrise Service at Hole-in-One Restaurant, on March 31, 8:30 a.m. It’s open to the whole community and comes with a free pancake breakfast after the service.
Lakeside Presbyterian Church is located on the mountain side of the Carretera, just west of S&S Auto and Bubba’s Restaurant.
Christ Church Anglican
The Bishop of the Diocese of the West in the Anglican Church of Mexico, Lino Rodríguez Amaro, will come to Christ Church Anglican Fellowship, services, 9 a.m. at the Little Chapel by the Lake, Carretera 10 in Chula Vista. Charles Robert (Rob) Wells will be ordained as a Deacon in Christ’s One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Bishop will celebrate the Mass and preach.
Little Chapel
The Little Chapel by the Lake will begin its Sunday morning with a coffee fellowship at 10:45 a.m. Following the fellowship time, the regular service will begin at 11:15 a.m. “Polishing Diamonds” will be the topic of Rev. Gene Raymer’s message. A luncheon at Letty’s Restaurant will follow the service.
The church is located at Carretera 10 in Chula Vista, on the mountain side of the highway just east of the Chula Vista Golf Club.
Unitarians
The Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets each Sunday, 10:30 a.m. at Sta. Margarita 113 (southwest corner of Santa Clara) in Riberas del Pilar. On Sunday, March 10, Fred Harland will give the talk, “What Justice Requires,” which will explore the history of justice in the Unitarian tradition, and what implications that history might have for us. A coffee hour will follow the service. For more information please call 766-1119 or email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..